Signaling device



June 18, 1935- N. HAMPTON ET AL 2,005,583

' SIGNALING DEVICE Filed Jan. 20, 1934 2 sheets-Sheet 1 g L .N. HAMPTON INVENTORS:

ATTORNEY Patented June 18, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT orrics SIGNALING DEVICE Leon N. Hampton, New York, N. Y., and Albert K. Smith, West Orange, N. J., assignors to Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application January 20, 1934; Serial No. 707,490 5 Claims. (01. 2oo ss) This invention relates to pneumatic ticket dis- Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of tributing systems and more specifically to a pneu- Fig. 2. matically operated signaling device for use .in In the drawings, I O is a diaphragm which is such a system, clamped between the circularly shaped flange por- '5 In pneumatic distributing systems of the type tions of casings II and I2 to form therewith two 5 used in telephone exchanges for dispatching air chambers CH and CHI shown in Fig. 4. Diatickets, for example, delivery tubes are connected phragm I is drilled at its center portion for at their ends to so-called sending and receiving receiving a rod I! which serves for clamping the valves and the receiving valves in turn are condiaphragm l0 between two discs l3 and I4 under 10 nected to an air exhaust tube to the other end of the action of screw nuts l5 and I6, the discs I3 which an air blower is connected for generating and [4 being provided for limiting the effective a current of air in the delivery tubes for proor yieldable surface of the diaphragm l0 and pelling the tickets therein. In such a system, thereby its amplitude of movement. however, it is necessary to maintain the flow of Rod ll extends perpendicularly with respect 5 air through these tubings at a constant predeto the plane of the diaphragm in the chamber CH termined velocity in order to assure the rapid and carries at its upper end portion a disc [8 en-' arrival of the tickets at the receiving valves and gaging a forked lever member I9 secured at one to provide signaling devices for indicating the end of a shaft 20. As shown in Fig. 2, this shaft pressure difference in the ticket sending tubes is journaled at one end in a sleeve 22 mounted in upon the accidental stoppage of the tickets the rear wall of chamber CH and at its other 20' therein and for signaling such a condition. end in the sleeve 2| mounted in a bracket 9 The object of this invention is to improve the which is in turn secured to the top wall of a construction and operation of such signaling dethird or auxiliary chamber CH2 as by screws 8 vices. shown in Fig. 3, the vertically disposed wall or According to this invention a diaphragm is partition 46 between chamber CH and CH2 be- 25 clamped between two casing sections and serves ing provided with a drilled hole 45 through which to form therewith a common wall for two adjathe shaft 20 passes with a predetermined amount cently disposed air chambers each connected to a of clearance to form an air path provided for a ticket sending tube. This diaphragm operates purpose that will be hereinafter described in deupon a maximum pressure difference in theticket tail. 30 sending tubes, andtherefore in the air cham- On that end of shaft 20 which extends in hers thus formed, for engaging contacts to cause chamber CH2 is securely mounted a gear sector the operation of signaling devices and the opera- 23 shown in Figs. 2 and 3 disposed in operable tion of an index on a scale for indicating the exrelation with a pinion 24 formed at one end of a tent of variations of air pressure in the ticket spindle 25 which is journaled at one end in a 35 sending tubes, means being provided to permit dial 2! and the other end in a bracket 26 se-. the initial adjustment of the diaphragm with cured to the rear face of the dial as by rivets 28. respect to the air pressure in each sending tube On the front disposed end of spindle 25 is seand the adjustment of the contacts with respect to curely mounted an index or pointer 29 for movethe adjusted position of the diaphragm with ment in juxtaposition to the face of the dial 21 40 means in the form of a system of ports for mainhaving marks for indicating the operation of taining the air pressure in the chambers proporthe diaphragm l0 upon a pressure difference in tional to that of the pressure in the ticket sendthe chambers CH and CHI. ing tubes upon the adjustment of the contacts Dial 21 is held in adjusted position with reand while the system is in operation. spect to pointer 29 by a plug 30 threadedly en- 5 Other features and advantages of the invengaging a cover plate 3| forming the front wall 01 tion will appear from the following description chamber CH2. This cover plate is secured to the and from the claims appended thereto, reference casing portion II by a number of screws such as being had to the accompanying drawings in which 32 shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and a glass 33 is ce- Fig. 1 is a front assembly view showing a nummented in the plug 30 to prevent any escape of her of operating parts with portions cut away; air at this point while permitting the visual ob- Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line servation of the pointer 29 and the marks on the 22 of Fig. 1; dial 21. Gear sector 23 carries on one side there- Fig. 3 is a partial view showing a number of of a lateral extending lug 34 carrying contact operating parts in section; and members 35 and 36 for engaging contact springs 55 31 and 38 depending upon the direction of operation of diaphragm I0 under a difference of air pressure in chambers CH and CHI. Contact springs 31 and 38 are held securely on the left side wall of chamber CH2 by similar screws 39 mounted in insulating bushings such as 40 for insulating them from casing portion II, wire terminals II and 42 being provided for electrically connecting the contact springs 31 and 38 with signaling circuits not shown with which they form a part.

In chamber CH there is mounted a vertically disposed gear rack 53, shown in Figs. 2 and 4 guided in its vertical movement by a stud 52 threading in the partition or wall 46 and a stud 53 threading in the dome shaped portion of casing II and a tension spring 54 which is hooked at one end to the upper disposed end of rack 50 and the other end at the extremity of rod I1 is provided for tensioning the diaphragm In in that direction an amount proportional tothat of the initial difference of air pressure in the ticket sending tubes due to their unequal length and direction. The operation of gear rack 50 and thereby the adjusted tension ofspring 54 is effected by a pinion 5| formed integrally with a spindle 68 shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. This spindle is journaled at one end in a bearing portion 58 formed with the rear wall of casing II and the other end of this spindle is journaled in a sleeve BI having one of its ends threadedly engaging a' hub portion formed with the partition 46. The hub portion 65 is filled with packing or fibers 62 disposed between the concave rings 83 and 64 the whole forming a stuffing box around spindle 60 to prevent any leak of air from chamber CH to chamber CH2 at that point, the packing and rings 63 and 64 being held tightly in the hub portion'65 through the screwing action of sleeve BI which also serves to force the pinion 5| against the front end of the bearing portion 58 for holding'it against movementunder the tension of spring The .sleeveSI is supported at its front end portion by a bracket 56 in turn secured to lugs 41 in chamber CH2 by screws 48, this bracket being provided with screws 14 and 15, having camming portions in the form of pointed ends for engaging the contact springs 31 and 38 for adjusting them with respect to contacts 35 and 36 carried by gear sector 23.

The chamber CHI is connected to a ticket sending tube not shown through a pipe 10 connected to an elbow shaped conduit 1I threadedly engaging the lower portion of easing I2 and chambers CHI is connected to another ticket sending tube not shown through a pipe 12 connected to a nipple 13 secured in the wall of casing portion II as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. According to this construction any difference of air pressure in the ticket sending tubes and therefore in the air chamber CH and CHI will cause the operation of the diaphragm $3 for operating pointer 29 on dial 21, and thereby indicating such pressure difference, the movement of the diaphragm within the limits defined by the springs 31 and 38 with respect to contacts 35 and 36 carried by gear sector 23 being effective to close the operating circuit of an audible or visual signaling device for indicating such a condition.

The balance in air pressure in chambers CH and CHI acting on the diaphragm II] is maintained upon the removal of the plug 30 as when adjusting the contact springs 31 and 38 through the movement of camming screws 14 and 15 as above described by providing a system of ports consisting of an air path running from chamber CHI, Figs. 1, 2 and 3 to chamber CH2 and therefore to chamber CH through hole 45 by a conduit beginning in chamber CHI and extending through the clamped portion of the diaphragm ID, the flange and the wall of casing II, the hole 8I, a taper slot 82 in the screw 83 which thread into cover plate 3I and counter-bore 84 closed by a plug 85 threadedly engaging the cover plate 3|. From the counter-bore 84 the air path is formed by conduits 86 and 81, conduits 88, 89 and 90 terminating at the face of plug 33, the screw 83 being adjusted so as to form an air passage corresponding to the amount of air passing through the path afforded around the shaft 28 in hole 45 connecting chamber CH to chamber CH2 with the result that the air pressure in these chambers is not affected by the removal of plug 38. Another air path from chamber CH2 to the face of a plug 85 is formed by a conduit 9| so that upon the removal of plug 85 as for the adjustment of the air path afforded by the tapered slot 82 in screw 83, the amount of air escaping from chamber CHI into the counter-bore 84 is compensated by a similar amount of air escaping from chambers CH-CHZ through the conduit 91 with the result that the air pressure in the chambers CH and CHI-CH2 is not affected by the removal of this plug.

Minor changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is: t

1. A pneumatic operated signaling device comprising a plurality of air chambers, a plurality of disengaged contacts in one of said chambers, a yieldable partition serving as a common wall between two of said chambers and operable' upon a pressure difference in said chambers for engaging one of said contacts and means in said chamber actuated by the movement of said contact for indicating such pressure.

2. A pneumatic operated signaling device comprising a plurality of air chambers, a diaphragm forming a common wall for said chambers, an auxiliary chamber, a shaft extending from one of said air chambers to said auxiliary chamber, means operatively connecting said shaft to said diaphragm, contact devices in said auxiliary chamber actuated by the movementof said shaft and means in said chamber operating previous to the operation of said contacts for indicating the pressure in'either one of said chambers.

3. A pneumatic operated signaling devicecomprising a plurality of air chambers, a yieldable partition forming a common wall for said chambers, another chamber, a shaft extending from one of said chambers to the last mentioned chamher and actuated by said diaphragm upon a pres sure difference in said chambers, normally disengaged contacts in the last mentioned chamber, means defining a pointer and a gearing mechanism operable upon a movement of said shaft for indicating the pressure difference in said chambers, the continued movement of said mechanism being effective to engage said contacts.

'4. A pneumatic operated signaling device comprising a plurality of air chambers, a diaphragm forming a common wall for said chambers, an auxiliary chamber, a shaft extending from one of said air chambers to said auxiliary air chamber, means in one of said air chambers operatively connecting said shaft to said diaphragm, said diaphragm operating upon a pressure difference in said chambers for actuating said shaft, normally disengaged contact members in said auxiliary chamber, means carried by said shaft for engaging said members, means operated by the movement of said shaft for indicating the movement of said diaphragm, and means for adjusting the engaged relation of said contacts with respect to the second mentioned means.

5. A pneumatic operated signaling device comprising a plurality of air chambers, a diaphragm forming a common wall for said chambers, an auxiliary chamber, a plurality of normally disengaged contact devices in said auxiliary chamber engaged through the operation of said diaphragm upon a pressure difierence in said chambers, means operable for adjusting the engaged relation of said contact devices, a plug in the wall of said auxiliary chamber removable for effecting such adjustment, and a system of ports connecting said chambers with said auxiliary chamber and efl'ective upon the removal of said plug to prevent the unbalance of air pressure in each chamber.

LEON N. HAMPTON.

ALBERT K. SMITH. 

